Warhammer: 40,000 Dawn of War II
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Warhammer 40K Dawn of War 2
A gamer’s game
I am a Warhammer 40K freak. The entire universe seems built for games, with massive battles from the very beginning of things. So jumping into another Warhammer 40K game was a treat for me as I am a huge fan of Relic Entertainment’s previous Warhammer 40K games (Dawn of War, DoW: Winter Assault, DoW: Dark Crusade, DoW: Soulstorm) and of course the best PC strategy game ever Company of Heroes. To say Dawn of War II surprised me is an understatement of epic proportions; I knew from interviews that Relic Entertainment was changing things around some gameplay wise and of course overhauling the graphics for this new game, but what they have brought to the table is incredible. Redesigning the standard real time strategy gameplay, adding some role playing elements and “amping” up the action and carnage to new levels has made Dawn of War II the best strategy game in years on the PC.
The story is science fiction greatness even though it is touched by some very cliché moments. In Warhammer 40K, the humans who once conquered the universe are now fighting just to survive against an onslaught of savage aliens who are attacking and destroying the worlds of man. Billions of lives have been lost in this war and there is now little hope for humanity. The Emperor has returned to rule from Earth from his Golden Throne leaving his armies to serve and die by his will. The small sector of the galaxy where recruits for the Empero’rs own Blood Ravens come from is under attack and you are a new Commander who has been thrust into combat against all odds, with the only hope of survival fading fast.
Like I said it is a great story, but cliché. In some cases it does not work and in some cases it does, and this is one of those cases where it works well. With the story, gameplay, audio and the rest of the game, Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II has become a pleasant surprise and one of those games we should be playing for a very long time.
Gameplay
Real Time Strategy Games (RTS) have been around for well over 20 years and closer to 30 if you want to push the boundary on what a real time game actually is. Relic, who is the creator of Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II knows a thing or two or fifty about what makes a great compelling RTS game, likely better than much of the competition does. They have created such amazing games as Homeworld, Dawn of War and one of the highest rated games of all time Company of Heroes. So you know a game like Dawn of War II is in steady and good real time hands and they won’t do anything to surprise you, the gamer. Right? Well you are, in fact, in for a surprise because instead of re-hashing a tried and true experience they bring something bigger and better to the table by offering some innovation. Now, innovation is a gamer’s favorite word and most hated word because they cry out for innovation and when they finally get some they usually backlash and want it back the way it was and end up missing out on a great game experience.
The innovation in game play comes from a melding of the award winning RTS gameplay we have seen from Relic Entertainment before as well as adding some well done RPG (Role Playing Game) elements. New gear, rising in level, very basic stat management and even an RPG-esque story fill out this great game.
As you play the game you will find some differences between it and other strategy titles, such as the way the game continues on a day by day basis, so if you quit or lose a mission, the you don’t get to retry it; the game continues with the battle lost and this technically can change the landscape of how things play out. It is not done to the full and masochistic limit as I would have hoped for but it adds some interest to the overall campaign.
Dawn of War II is a role playing action game at heart with a lot of strategy elements mixed in and not a true real time strategy game and this has some players upset because there is no farming of resources, resource management, base building and tank rushes. And I have to say Thank GOD for that because this change of things makes for a more compelling game. When you start a map you are dropped onto the map in dramatic style from an orbiting ship with just a few squads of men. These troops can be customized after missions with new weapons, armor, gear and add to their overall stats as they level up. From the moment you land you can be under attack within moments which adds to the fun of the game because there is nothing like setting up your heavy weapon teams to lay down suppressing fire from cover, while your scout team goes invisible and begins to set up for a sniper shot, then rain down some hell fire from your jumpers. The action is fast and furious in every fight and you are always outnumbered, but superior tactics and some luck always help to let you win the day.
One of the nice features of the game and one of my usual gripes about almost all of the other strategy games on the market is the zoom function. Most games have a basic zoom in and zoom out with a lame and limited zoom in and out level and it is aggravating but in Dawn of War II the zoom in and out levels are great. You can zoom very far out and zoom in right down into the action to where the characters on the screen are almost like a 3rd person shooter size on the screen. If you time the action right you can see some truly brutal death and destruction scenes as your troops devastate the enemy.
Co-op has been all the rage for the last year or so and it has finally become part of the strategy gaming feature set in a few games and Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II is no exception. You can play the campaign with a friend using Game for Windows Live (great addition to the PC gamers list of tools in my opinion and yes this means you get achievement points as well) which makes the game very simple to set up and get some multiplayer gaming going. In addition to the Co-op gameplay we have multiplayer which is a fun worthwhile experience for the gamer with the standard 1v1, 3v3, etc game modes which are standard in a game of this type.
There are four factions in the game and these include the Space Marines, Orks, Eldar and the Tyranids all of whom have unique abilities with strengths fear and weaknesses to exploit before they destroy you. Each faction has their own way to bring the fight to you such as the Orks tend to hit hard and fierce but do end up running away and the Eldar use concealment and deception to maximize damage. If you end up playing against the Eldar and try to beat them the same way as you defeated the Orks you will be killed quick so adapting to the situation is what is needed and gives this game another high note versus other strategy hybrid games.
I could prattle on for hours about each faction and each unit and specific ability, and more but the game is rather deep and offers a ton of strategy with action elements. At first glance there seems to be almost zero strategy but after you play it you will find the strategy side of things comes rushing in and you will welcome it along with the addition of the Role Playing mechanics.
Graphics
There are three words which can be used to describe Dawn of War II’s graphics. Breathtaking, awesome and the classic but simple “WOW” and those are words you will use often if you play many real time strategy games as I do and have been waiting for a game to come forward with a true new and fantastic look instead of following the safe and standard norm we have become accustomed to. The many worlds of Dawn of War 2 each have a look to them from dusty storm beaten to steamy jungle and many in between.
During battles there are hundreds of small explosions, large explosions and bullets hitting the environment as well as the enemy and your own troops. What is amazing is when you are zoomed all the way out the game has this large scale battle look to it, but when you zoom right down and see your troops fighting hand to hand with the enemy the animation, the gritty nature of the fight and visceral feel to them. Blood will flow and an RTS never looked so good up close and personal as Dawn of War II does.
The overall level design is very good at times and at other times the level design can be almost the most basic of layouts leaving you with quick and easy victories against Warhammer 40K’s rather decent artificial intelligence. It is always a good idea to take a quick look at the mini-map to pick the best path for you to travel if you wish to beat a map fast or reach a secondary goal. Sometimes it is best to take it slow and even retreat if needed because the enemy can pound you relentlessly if they are lucky enough to have a good area to ambush you in.
I was not very impressed by the games user interface and if in the future this can be changed I will do it via a MOD. It is archaic and clunky and far from smooth and next generation like the developers of Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II made this new RTS out to be. It is very useable but in the end it is disappointing on many levels.
Each of the character models, their animations for combat and other actions and the art work in game are all excellent. The entire art style of the game is true Warhammer 40K in look and feel which goes a long way to give this game some extra gaming credit in a realm of real time strategy games which are clones of other games. This is the best looking real time strategy game on the market at the moment if you can run it maxed out and if you can its worth doing.
Audio
Audio wise Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II is very impressive on all three fronts (music, sound effects and voice over work). Each cry or scream in combat is accompanied by a range of explosions, gun fire, enemy screams and some wonderful music to bring the experience to a complete game fulfillment of your senses.
The in mission briefings are all voice by some talented actors who bring this over the top group of zealots to life. Some of the voice acting does feel forced though and that is a shame as the forced sounding voice acting is such a letdown compared to the great voice acting.
Value
The co-operative gameplay and of course the outstanding multiplayer adds much to the overall value of the game. But surprisingly the single player side of things also has a huge replay value with multiple ways to approach each mission.
Bottom Line
The beta for Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II was such a tease for this game but did not prepare the average player for the phenomenal experience the final game turned out to be. While this is far from your standard real time strategy title in many ways and the addition of the role playing elements force this game to be classified in a league of its own, many gamers will find this to be a worthy addition to their gaming library.
This is a must buy for every PC gamer.
Pros
+Great graphics and audio
+Good voice acting for most characters
+Level design is outstanding at times
+Gameplay is fun and fast
+Great RTS/RPG Hybrid System
+Good story which compels you to keep playing until the early morning hours
+Multiplayer and Co-op is GREAT!
+Different than your regular old RTS system
Cons
-Not the traditional RTS and that will scare those who fear innovation in games away
-Initial launch bugs were a pain
-Games moves a little fast at times for the not so great default controls
Final Verdict
Here's a small guide to help you understand our evaluation of games.
PRESENTATION GRADE
Can be from the game's box to the contents of the booklet, and even the game introduction. (Intro, menus, options, etc)
GRAPHIC GRADE
Up to what point the graphics have been worked on my the developper. The design type, the effort used for textures and environments, as well as animations and framerate.
AUDIO GRADE
Is the soundtrack a good match to the game's style, he ambient sounds keeping with the gameplay and the sound effects clear and convincing?
GAMEPLAY GRADE
Placement of the controls and the inferface that the player with be using during the game.
REPLAY VALUE GRADE
The most important factor in the evaluation of a game. It identifies the lifespan of the game and the fun of coming back again and again.
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